On the Come Up: Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis

Bri and Malik ignore each other all day, and Malik sits with Shana on the bus home. Sonny moans that it sucks when Bri and Malik fight, but Bri refuses to let it go until Malik apologizes. Over the weekend, Bri discovers that the fridge is nearly empty. It's also covered in new, unpaid bills. Jay chose heat instead of food, since it's supposed to snow later. Jay enters the kitchen and says she's going to a food giveaway at the community center. She brushes off Trey's suggestion that she go to the welfare office, saying that she can't get food stamps as a college student unless she's employed.

Jay tells Bri to come to the giveaway with her. Even though it's not even 8:00 in the morning, the line stretches out the door. Bri notices a news van and worries what will happen if her classmates see her, but Jay encourages her to not pay any attention. Bri looks at the other people in line and stares at her shoes when she sees the news camera panning in her direction. Jay strikes up a conversation with a woman in a housecoat and hair rollers, and by the time they get to the front of the line, Jay has made note of all the churches that distribute food.

Jay accepts a box from a volunteer as Bri notices that there's a black Santa and a boy wearing a "Mr. Swagerific" sweatshirt—Supreme and Milez—giving candy to kids. Jay tells Bri to ignore them and heads to the table with canned goods. Bri wants to scream when one lady looks at her with pity. Bri leaves Jay to walk around. She heads for the shoe table and finds an almost-new pair of Timbs in her size. Bri deliberates about whether to take the shoes. The soles of her shoes are almost gone, but someone else might not have shoes at all. Bri also doesn't want to accept charity. She tries not to cry.

Supreme comes up behind Bri, calls her Li'l Law, and tells her to try the Timbs on. Bri refuses and tells the reader that she needs to be on guard: Supreme is certainly still sore that she beat Milez at the Ring. With a laugh, Supreme says that Bri is just like Lawless—upset over a line and ready to fight. He says knowingly that Bri needs the boots, but Bri lies and says she doesn't. Supreme goes on and says she shouldn't be ashamed. When he learns that this is Bri's first giveaway, he says she'll get used to the sympathetic looks. He then changes the subject and compliments Bri for how she performed in the Ring. He says that Bri has "It" and that Lawless would be proud. Bri is shocked to get this compliment.

Supreme says he's disappointed that Bri isn't doing anything with her talent; he saw she doesn't have music online. When he learns that Aunt Pooh is Bri's manager, he laughs and says that Pooh probably heard about Dee-Nice's deal and thinks that keeping Bri at the Ring will get her one too. This is true, but Bri ignores him. Supreme says that she needs to do more—he's Dee-Nice's manager, and Dee-Nice did more. He says she needs to get the right song out there. He gives Bri a business card and then starts to walk away. Bri says she has a song and pulls out her phone. She awkwardly asks him to listen to it, thinking that if he can do amazing things for Dee-Nice, Milez, and Lawless, maybe he can help her too.

Supreme listens with no emotion, but when the song is over, he says it's a hit. He tells Bri to put it online and text him the link, and he'll send it around. Jay walks over and greets Supreme coolly. He tells her that he and Miles are here to give back and he wants Miles to know how fortunate he is. Bri thinks that her situation shouldn't be an "after-school special." Supreme starts to offer Jay help, but Jay cuts him off and leads Bri away. Outside, volunteers tell people still lined up that the giveaway is over.

Bri feels awful walking past them with a box of food. Jay puts it in the trunk and makes a Forrest Gump reference. Bri tells the reader that Forrest Gump is her second favorite movie, as she loves the idea that a guy like Forrest could see and do so much. Everything happened to him because of luck, and Bri wonders if she just had a lucky moment with Supreme.

Jay asks what Bri and Supreme were talking about. Bri doesn't mention the song, but says that Supreme said she has "It" and could be a star. Jay says that's obvious; she saw it in the battle video. She says that Bri has been performing since she was a baby, and Lawless used to say that their "miracle" was going to be a superstar. Bri asks why they called her a miracle, and Jay explains that she had four miscarriages before having Bri. Jay blinks back tears.